April 13, 2024 - This is ridiculously delicious wine. I highly recommend it. More details in previous notes.
March 23, 2024 - Special. See previous note for details. I am starting to strategize. EABA, Mourvedre, and Syrah from Andremily, and Grenache from Sine Qua Non?
March 15, 2024 - Difficult to stop drinking; I kept going for more. Phenomenal. Close to perfection. I could argue a 99. Lots of flavor and depth. Christmas spices. Macerated strawberries. After several hours, some brown sugar. Thick and dense, but in a highly positive way. Powerful. Raspberry liqueur. I cannot say enough about this wine. When the tannins back off slightly, a 99.
March 9, 2024 - (Wineapalooza With Friends.) The bouquet still seems closed, but it explodes on the palate with rich red and black fruits. The group remarked about its balance and its long, satisfying finish. Decanted for four hours prior to serving, and it continued to open up throughout the evening. Still plenty of life left in this one. Drink now to 2035. Outstanding.
January 12, 2024 - Jim Binns’ End All Be All offering, and it’s every bit as good as that descriptor. Two hours in the decanter. Unremarkable bouquet right now. But it thrills on the palate with a fruit bowl of black and blue fruits and herbal notes that follow through to a luscious finish. What a thrill. A few more years in the cellar should help dial up the bouquet. Drink 2025 to 2033. Outstanding.
August 10, 2023 - Opened but not decanted about five hours prior to dinner. Red and dark fruits on the nose and palate. Obviously primary right now, but drinking wonderfully after being open for five hours, and certainly benefits from the grilled ribeye it was paired with. Absolutely no hurry on this one.
July 23, 2023 - my notes are from day 2 after our meetup with Cyclist and our gals. I am glad that I got to bring the rest of the bottle home for deeper study since we were all busy getting to know each other and sharing plates of food.
The wine is dark garnet in color, and far more expressive on the palate then on the nose (on day 2). Rich black and blue fruits, pepper, chocolate, bay leaf. great texture, balance and long finish. Terrific complexity from the grape blend - The 2018 is 59% Syrah, 23% Mourvedre, 15% Grenache, and the rest Viognier, aged 22 months in 50% new French oak. One of the best California GSM blends I have had - thanks for bringing this along Cyclist!
I've bumped this up a point based on its performance on day 2 (a little left on day 3 was surprisingly the same)
moving forward, I would probably give this two hours of slow ox
July 23, 2023 - Shared at a lovely Central Coast themed dinner with Franken Berry. Also my fault for getting too busy all day and not double decanting this one too, so this was not at full potential when opened, but still delicious. EABA is always ready to party, and doesn't need as much time as the Syrah or other bottlings, usually. Though the Mourvedre is incredible any way you look at it. Lots of blue fruits and oak, but not too much. I'm thinking this was even better on Day 2, and was sent home with Franken Berry to enjoy.
July 9, 2023 - Same general notes as prior but, the is much more herbal this time. Maybe going through a shut down period where the fruits are hiding. Not bad by any means but may hold off on the last bottle for 4 years.
July 7, 2023 - Better on day 2
More integrated than last year. Less sandalwood. Rich fruit, in a good way. The tannins were more fun last year.